Stacking the odds in horticulture's favour

摘要

The Irish horticulture industry continues to thrive and there may be lessons for the UK. One of the economic highlights of the past few years has been the growth of the economy in Ireland - the Celtic Tiger, as it has become known. While economic growth was moderate in 2001, compared to the exceptional performance of the previous few years, the economy is still growing steadily and unemployment is still low. This year, ireland was one of the countries to scrap its own currency to adopt the euro. Noel Treacy, the new Irish minister with special responsibility for horticulture, last week admitted there had been some complaints that the changeover to the euro was responsible for increases in domestic prices. Treacy addressed journalists gathered forthe Kildare Growers' Show, at Goff's Paddock, in County Kildare. He was keen to point out that a recent report commissioned by minister for consumer affairs Tom Kitt indicated other factors bore more of the blame for Irish inflation, such as consumer demand, the external economic environment and demand outstripping supply in housing.